Chapter 135: Do Not Cross the Line

Since Huang Qi has a way, Li Lin will listen to her.

That evening, Sister Yan Jing stayed at Li Fu, entered the talisman, and hung it in the main hall to absorb moonlight and yin qi.

Meanwhile, Li Lin practiced dual cultivation with the two women.

By the next day, after eating breakfast, Li Lin went to work.

After washing up, Huang Qi took Hong Luan and returned to the Huang family.

Huang Yan was not home; he had also gone to work.

Only the Eldest Lady and Huang Ling were at home.

Huang Qi's arrival made the Eldest Lady quite happy.

"After you and Hong Luan left, the house became much colder. Ling'er is of a quiet nature; I sit in the back garden daily admiring flowers and embroidering, and I'm about to turn into a fool."

Huang Ling, who was holding a book, replied upon hearing this: "I usually talk to you, yet you find me tedious and say I love to contradict you."

"That's just it; you always say things I don't want to hear," the Eldest Lady said gloomily.

Huang Ling twitched the corner of her mouth, continued flipping through the book, and ignored her mother.

"Mother, you can go out and stroll," Huang Qi said, sitting beside the Eldest Lady with a smile. "You can also come to my house to sit."

The Eldest Lady shook her head: "Going out to stroll is only interesting with company. Ling'er doesn't like to move; she just reads books all day."

"Books can make one understand principles and know all things," Huang Ling couldn't help but say.

The Eldest Lady complained: "You've just read too many books; you're about to turn into a fool."

Huang Ling sighed: "Mother, I know what you mean. You simply want me to go out and meet men so I can get married quickly. But there are no good young men in Yulin County; if I'm to find one, I must wait until I reach Jincheng or return to Jingcheng."

"You must find one once you reach Jincheng," the Eldest Lady said firmly. "By the time you return to Jingcheng, you won't know how old you'll be."

Then the Eldest Lady looked at Huang Qi and asked: "Damei, why have you returned?"

"To come back and see Mother and Father."

"I don't believe it," the Eldest Lady teased. "You and your husband are always sticking together; since he's back, you'd rather stay by his side every day. Without something important, you certainly wouldn't want to return to your maiden home."

Hong Luan covered her mouth and laughed right there.

Huang Qi felt a bit embarrassed, but she still said: "Mother knows her daughter's heart best! Last night my husband returned and brought back a Taowu Zhenjun. I want to ask Father to gift my husband a small altar for the Taowu Zhenjun to reside in."

The Eldest Lady narrowed her eyes slightly: "He really went back and invited a Taowu Zhenjun over, did he?"

Then the Eldest Lady smiled: "Very well, you don't need Father's approval; this time I'll decide to give it to you."

"Thank you, Mother," Huang Qi said, very happy.

On the other side, when Li Lin arrived at the Military Office of the County government office, he saw the government office Runners in the courtyard with bruises, some blue and some purple, on their faces.

Everyone was like this.

When they saw Li Lin arrive, their eyes were full of joy, yet they looked hesitant.

Li Lin frowned and asked: "What happened while I was away? Were you beaten by someone?"

Many government office Runners smiled awkwardly.

Finally, He Shangjin stepped forward.

He also had a blue patch and a swollen patch on his face: "Reporting to the Commandant, a few days ago the County Assistant brought back several government office Runners from outside. Then the County Assistant said that since you, the Commandant, were not here, we would temporarily be under his command."

"And then he beat you?"

"Not exactly beating..." He Shangjin said helplessly. "The County Assistant said our hands were unskilled and our stances weak, so he had two experts train us. Once we failed to meet their requirements, we would be punished."

Li Lin's gaze swept over everyone, his eyebrows slightly furrowed.

Then he snorted, turned around, and went to the 'Household' Office; the government office Runners exchanged glances and immediately followed.

When Li Lin arrived at the Household Office, he saw more than ten government office Runners standing or squatting lazily inside the room.

Seeing Li Lin's official robes, they all looked over; although they showed a certain degree of respect, their eyes carried mockery.

Li Lin pushed open the door and saw the County Assistant, Jiang Jili, sitting in the main seat, reading case files.

Hearing the sound, Jiang Jili raised his head and then smiled: "I wondered who it was; turns out it's Commandant Li back from his holiday. You're just fine, leaving the government office affairs to run off and enjoy yourself, while we work hard here; truly, same work but different fate."

His tone was sarcastic, making one's heart fire rise directly.

Before Li Lin could speak, another person walked in from outside; it was Huang Ying.

Huang Ying immediately scolded upon arriving: "Surname Jiang, everything you said is nonsense. Although my eldest brother-in-law took leave for over ten days, he had already arranged the matters. After I finished my own work during this time, I helped my eldest brother-in-law patrol and investigate cases; I did not neglect the government office's affairs. Your random talk is not the conduct of a gentleman."

Jiang Jili snorted; he was currently unwilling to directly conflict with Huang Ying, so he looked at Li Lin and asked: "Commandant, what do you seek from me?"

"I heard you've been training the government office Runners recently?"

"No need to thank me," Jiang Jili said with a snort. "The group under your command has no sitting posture and no standing manner; looking at them is disgusting. Giving them the spirit and energy government office Runners should have is my duty as County Assistant."

Those fifty-plus government office Runners, being called useless in every way, all looked displeased.

Li Lin laughed: "I think the government office Runners you invited and the two experts in the courtyard aren't that great either."

"Oh, do you really think so?"

"Of course."

"Then it has nothing to do with you."

"As Commandant, I have the duty to control all government office Runners and local militia in Yulin County," Li Lin said, looking at the other party. "So I must test their skills."

"They were invited by me; it has nothing to do with you."

Li Lin smiled: "I've already said this is within my duty. If you disagree and are unwilling to let me test their skills, I have the qualification to strike them from the government office Runner roster."

"You!"

Jiang Jili's teeth ground together with a creak. Then he snorted: "Fine, since you want to lose face yourself, don't blame me for not giving you face. Jiang Asheng, Jiang Aqiang, go to the martial arts hall and let Commandant Li see your skills."

Two government office Runners in the courtyard revealed smiles and immediately walked toward the martial arts hall.

Jiang Jili stood up from the main seat; as he passed by Li Lin, he said: "Commandant Li, we'll go ahead first; you still have a chance to regret this. Hahahaha!"

Jiang Jili clasped his hands behind his back, laughed loudly at the sky, and walked out the door.

Huang Ying, standing nearby, said with some worry, "Brother-in-law, those two are both Eighth-Rank Martial Artists, and you are only an Eighth-Rank Spirit Hunter. This is very troublesome."

Everyone clearly understood that the strength of a Martial Artist in the early stages was far superior to that of a Spirit Hunter.

A Spirit Hunter would at least need to reach the Fourth Rank before their strength could barely equal that of a Martial Artist.

Li Lin smiled and said, "It's fine, I have confidence."

Then he walked out.

Soon, a group of people followed Li Lin and also arrived at the Martial Arts Hall.

At this moment, the County Magistrate's Assistant, Jiang Jili, sat in the main seat of the Martial Arts Hall, looking down at the group entering from behind with an attitude of superiority.

At this time, a martial artist was already standing in the center of the Martial Arts Hall; the opponent held a wooden blade and looked at Li Lin arrogantly.

Li Lin walked to a wooden rack nearby, picked up a wooden spear... the spearhead was also made of wood.

The Martial Arts Hall was for dueling, not for killing, so naturally, no real blades or spears were prepared.

Li Lin came before this martial artist, clasped his fists, and said, "Li Lin, Yu Family Spear. Please give me your guidance."

"A hound of the Jiang family, Jiang Asheng!" the martial artist said coldly with a smile, "I specialize in the Rain-Splashing Blade. Please give me your guidance."

Jiang Jili leaned back against his chair and said, "No need for idle words. I have many case files to review. Begin."

Having received Jiang Jili's permission, Jiang Asheng raised his blade and charged straight at him.

His body moved sideways, the blade held vertically, blocking the tip in front of him.

This was a basic move of the Single Blade versus Spear technique, minimizing the area exposed to the long spear's thrusts; holding the blade in front also increased the rate of blocking.

It was clear he had experience fighting against long spears.

Li Lin's expression remained calm as he thrust the long spear.

The opponent tried to dodge but found the spear seemed to have thrust off-target.

It was actually grazing past the left side of his body.

Can't even thrust accurately; this County Magistrate is just a useless shell with a pretty face.

Just as Jiang Asheng was thinking this, Li Lin's left hand, holding the spear's tail, flicked the spear shaft directly.

A hidden force erupted along the spear shaft, simultaneously causing the shaft to suddenly bend.

Then the spear tip 'tapped' toward Jiang Asheng's face, like a snake that could turn corners.

Jiang Asheng was greatly alarmed and hurriedly retreated, but the spear tip pursued him, then suddenly tapped downward again.

This time he had no way to avoid it; the unsharpened wooden spearhead of the long spear tapped his right hand's tiger mouth.

Pain shot through Jiang Asheng, and his long blade dropped to the ground.

But it was not over; the long spear suddenly lifted its head, swaying left and right once each.

*Bap! Bap! * Two sounds!

Jiang Asheng was left with two long bruises on his left and right cheeks.

Li Lin retracted the long spear, stepped back one pace, and smiled slightly.

At this moment, Jiang Asheng was still dazed; he did not understand why he had lost so quickly.

He hadn't even had a chance to strike.

Jiang Jili also instinctively stood up, looking at Li Lin, his eyes full of disbelief.

An Eighth-Rank Spirit Hunter defeating an Eighth-Rank Martial Artist?

That didn't seem very reasonable.

Li Lin, however, felt it was very normal; he had now achieved a small mastery of Spear Intent... it was Spear Intent.

Not a small mastery of the Yu Family Spear Technique.

They were different.

"Your spear technique..." Jiang Asheng looked at Li Lin, "is Spear Intent... you have actually cultivated Spear Intent to this extent."

Now he knew where he had lost.

Before he had even made a move, the opponent could see through his next action.

Li Lin ignored Jiang Asheng and walked toward Jiang Jili.

At this moment, Jiang Aqiang jumped out, roaring, "Do not harm the young master... Ah!"

Again, *Bap! Bap! * two sounds.

Two clear marks appeared on Jiang Aqiang's face, and he retreated to the side.

Li Lin arrived before the main seat of the Martial Arts Hall.

Jiang Jili looked at Li Lin and snorted, "You wouldn't also want to do this to me..."

*Bap! *

The spearhead of the long spear slapped Jiang Jili's left cheek.

The sound was very crisp.

Blood flowed from the corner of Jiang Jili's mouth, and a blue bruise appeared on his face.

He steadied his body, looking at Li Lin with anger, as if he wanted to devour the latter alive.

Li Lin said, "I told you long ago not to cross the line, but you wouldn't listen."

"You actually dare to strike an official of the imperial court!" Jiang Jili roared with red eyes.

"As if I am not an official of the imperial court," Li Lin laughed and continued, "I am striking you. Do not think you can do anything in front of me. I am in the right on this matter. Managing the government office Runners is not your duty; you are not the County Magistrate. If you really push this matter up, do you think who will be the one to suffer!"

(End of this chapter)